Tuesday, 3 July 2007

Today kicks off the first in a series that I’m calling London’s Best. In my highly opinionated opinion, I have found several food-stuffs while eating around London that I think qualify as the best of that particular food-stuff I’ve found. Today’s London’s Best is a burrito.

London suffers from a confusing lack of Mexican food generally, and particularly a lack of good Mexican food. It’s easy enough to attribute it to the smaller numbers of native Mexicans creating their cuisine in the UK than, say, in the US. However, Mexican food can be outstandingly good without a heap of complexity going into it. I’ve long thought that if I could start my own burrito business, I’d have a hit on my hands.

Well, sadly, someone’s beaten me to it. But I can’t be too sad – these burritos are wonderful things, and any jealousy I have over someone acting on my burrito idea vanishes with eating the thing, because I’m just too joyous that someone has served me such a thing of tasty excellence. Freebird Burritos operates out of Exmouth Market on Monday – Thursdays, serving behemoths of burritos that keep you going for hours.

The burritos aren’t just large and packed full of bits, but the bits inside have great attention to detail.Each burrito comes with rice, your choice of refried or black bean, your choice of meat, your choice of salsa spiciness, cheese and sour cream, and optional guacamole.The rice alone is stunning, lightly flavoured with lime and coriander and tying the whole thing together.My favourite meat is the Carnitas (pork), which is cooked in juniper berries and bay leaves and some other magic to make it taste as good as it does.All servings are very generous, and the only complaint is that the burrito is so stuffed full of good things that it can get quite messy, but you do learn how to create a foil shield with the wrapper to avoid disasters.They have begun to do deliveries of 4 or more orders to the same office, which can be a dangerous thing since it guarantees more burritos in my future.Which will make me fight that jealous/happy balance all the more often.

I have tried this place once and intend to go again, but I have to say that so far no one has topped daddy donkey for me (www.daddydonkey.co.uk) they are a 10 minute walk from FreeBird and if you havent tried them you really should!! I actually went on friday to go back to freebird and forgot they are not open then...which is when I reaised daddy donkey is walking distance :-)

Thanks everyone for calling Daddy Donkey to my attention – I may have to visit them at lunch today just so I can carry out a fair comparison. Viva la revolucion de la comida mexicana! (or something to that effect).

Great idea about doing the comparison and the factors you're looking into. Can I also request you compare sloppiness of the two? I've had some friends fall victim to an exploding burrito when trying to tackle the Freebird burrito too eagerly.

I look forward to the report - and if you have pictures, those would be great too!

I would vote that the old beach burrito cafe in soho was the best. I was shattered when they closed down, but have since reopened in chelsea and now another restaurant in notting hill. Can't wait to try the notting hill one...... has any one else ben there.....

We are launching two more Monday - Friday markets over the next couple of weeks and will keep you updated.

We are a small burritos outfit trying to educate londoners one burrito at a time our chef is Carlos a Mexican guy who graduated from the same culinary institute of America (CIA) as steve ells the founder of chipotle.

Dont forget Beach Burrito (now called Eat Mexicali), which will be reopening in Soho and has other shops in London - www.eatmexicali.com

Still, Id say FreeBirds is better cuz I love Chipotle in the states and FBs meat is a lil tastier than BB....now when are you opening up some shops James?!?!!? :D

Other than these 2 places, mexican in london is horrible... oh besides www.mestizomx.com which is authentic mex, must check it out! and now there is Wahacca in convent garden, but its kinda like Starbucks Mexican... ;)

its james from freebird burritos just wanted to give you a quick update we have been trading at our new location in Goodge place for a couple of weeks which is going really well and the evening standard 12.09.07

"the best kept secret of authentic Mexican food lovers"

We are going to be trading at the Thames festival this weekend, which will coincide with Mexican Independence Day, I hope you can drop in and say hi

The freebird stalls all disappeared after Christmas for a couple of weeks because the chef (and main burrito man at Exmouth Market) had to have his appendix out. Everyone was getting quite panicked that they were gone, but he's back now and fully fit, and so the burritos have returned to. A big relief on a few fronts. :)

Man I use to get one of those burritos (the matured steak) on a Thursday after my morning delivery's. This and a few other food favourites is what I really mis about London. Back in South Africa now and I just told all my friends in LDN to go grab a BURRITOOOOO.